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Grimsby-born tycoon David Ross has said he helped find a free £15,000 Caribbean holiday for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to celebrate his general election win.

But amid a growing controversy involving the PM's luxury break, the former billionaire founder of Carphone Warehouse says he did not pay for it, even though the PM declared Mr Ross as the donor.

Mr Ross was reported to have gifted the luxury holiday to Mr Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The private holiday, on the island of Mustique where Mr Ross has a sprawling villa with permanent staff, lasted from December 26 to January 5.

In the House of Commons official register of members' interests, Mr Johnson says Mr Ross provided the couple with the holiday and says it was worth £15,000.

But last night Mr Ross went on the record to say he did not pay for the holiday and suggested Mr Johnson had made a 'mistake' in his declaration in the register.

David Ross during a visit to Grimsby's Havelock Academy. He has said he helped Boris Johnson with a holiday in Mustique but says he did not pay for it (Image: Rick Byrne / GrimsbyLive)

A spokesman for the businessman said: "Boris Johnson did not stay in David Ross’s house.

"Boris wanted some help to find somewhere in Mustique, David called the company who run all the villas and somebody had dropped out.

"So Boris got the use of a villa that was worth £15,000, but David Ross did not pay any monies whatsoever for this."

Asked about Mr Johnson’s declaration, the spokesman told MailOnline: ‘I believe it is a mistake.’

The move is an embarrassment for the PM who will now have to clarify why he placed Mr Ross's name on the register. There will also be awkward questions over who owned the accommodation where Mr Johnson stayed with Ms Symonds.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds travelled to Mustique to celebrate the election win in December (Image: PA)

The relationship between Mr Ross, who is from the Ross fishing empire family in Grimsby, and the Prime Minister, is reported to date back 15-years and he served as a representative to Mr Johnson when he was mayor of London.

He is the son of late Grimsby fishing industry leader and High Steward of North East Lincolnshire, John Ross MBE, and grandson of Carl Ross, founder of the great Ross Group food and fishing empire. After founding Carphone Warehouse with £6,000 in savings, Mr Ross went on to become one of Britain’s richest men, with a personal fortune that hit £1billion in 2015 and remains worth around £700m.

Mr Ross's property on Mustique, a well known haunt for celebrities and the world's wealthiest, is reported to have six double bedrooms, three private swimming pools, two bars, a library and four dedicated staff - a butler, chef, gardener and housekeeper.

The Island of Mustique in the Caribbean where Boris Johnson went on a £15,000 holiday and where David Ross owns a holiday home

It is reported that Mr Ross has hosted lavish parties at the huge villa complex with guests including Mick Jagger and Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

In July last year the Royal couple returned to the island staying at one of the premier villa complexes which are available on the island and believed to be among those known to Mr Ross.

The Mustique property is one of several homes owned by Mr Ross who also has property in Switzerland, London's Knightsbridge and his Grade I-listed 13th century mansion in Leicestershire, Nevill Holt which sits in 300 acres of woodland and 1,000 acres.

In November he donated £250,000 to Mr Johnson’s general election campaign and previously supported former Tory Prime Minister David Cameron.

The holiday and Mr Ross's involvement emerged in the latest official House of Commons register of members’ interests.

The Prime Minister's official record in the House of Commons register of members' interests which lists David Ross as donor. Mr Ross has described the entry as a 'mistake'

Under the heading "nature and value of benefit in kind (or amount of any donation)", Mr Johnson's entry in the register stated: "Accommodation for a private holiday for my partner and me, value £15,000." Under 'Name of donor', it says: "Mr David Ross"